Magnifique! Cirque du Soleil Coming to Barclays

Magnifique! Cirque du Soleil Coming to Barclays

“The Target,” seen here, is one of the characters in the Cirque du Soleil’s new show at Barclays, “Quidam.” Photo courtesy of Cirque du Soleil

By Raanan Geberer

Brooklyn Daily Eagle

The Nets, Barbra Streisand, Jay-Z, world-class rock acts like the Who and the Rolling Stones – what could be next for Barclays Arena?

Well, from July 24 to 28, the world-famous Cirque du Soleil will come to Barclays with its new show, “Quidam.”

Cirque du Soleil (meaning “Circus of the Sun”) began in 1984 in Quebec as a troupe of 20 street performers. It now has more than 1,300 performing artists. In New York, Cirque du Soleil became famous in 1998, when it performed in Battery Park City. However, says Luc Ouellette, artistic director for “Quidam,” although the troupe has performed many times in the city over the years, this will be its first appearance in Brooklyn.

Ouellette explains how Cirque du Soleil differs from a typical American circus. “Our shows,” he says, “link one act to another, creating a story line. The atmosphere flows from one act to another. We make transitions between acts, not blackouts.”

In addition, Cirque du Soleil has one performance at a time, unlike the traditional “three-ring circus” where three acts are performing simultaneously. “A stage is built for each performance – it’s really like a [theater] set,” says Ouellete.

Finally, Cirque du Soleil does not include animal acts.“Quidam,” which the circus has been performing since 2010, means “anonymous” in Latin. “The show is about the soul of the individual,” Ouellette says. “Each person has a different costume. It’s a celebration of individuality.”

As far as plot is concerned, “Quidam” is the story of a little girl named Zoe who lives with her parents. One day, a character named Quidam appears at her door and drops his hat.

When Zoe puts it on, she visits other worlds. “This is the story of her dreams and nightmares,” says Ouellette, who promises that the show will be “very acrobatic.” It also features performers from 19 countries.

On July 24, 25 and 25, Barclays will have one show per night. There will be two shows daily on Saturday, July 27 and Sunday, July 28.